Fire extinguisher apparatus



May 11, 1937. A. B. PHISTER 'Fil ed Aug. 23, 1934 FIRE EXT I NGU I SHERAPPARATUS /4L BEA r5 H05 70?.

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 11, 1937 UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Albert B. Phister,Fort The Phister Mfg. Co.

poration of Delaware Thomas, Ky., assignor to Cincinnati, Ohio, a cor-Application August 23, 1934, Serial No. 741,131

4 Claims.

My invention relates to fire extinguisher apparatus, and particularly toa type of nozzle which controls the flow of the extinguishing fluid inaccordance with various requirements of its use.

My invention has for its object the provision of an extinguisher havinga nozzle in which by releasing a discharge control lever, the flow offluid will be substantially shut off, in which a partial release oractuation of the discharge control lever will cause a dispersed sprayhaving a variable area, and in which further pressure on the lever willcause the fluid to be discharged in a single unitary stream.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguisher inwhich the spray may be manually controlled from a broadly dispersedspray to one of restricted area which merges into a unitary stream.

While in fire extinguishing apparatus it has been old and well known toprovide a nozzle control at the end of the hose, such controls have, asfar as I am advised, been only for the purpose of shutting ofl the flowcompletely; and since my apparatus is the only one which controls thearea of the spray, I claim the same broadly herein.

The above objects and others to which reference will be made in theensuing description, I accomplish by that certain combination andarrangement of parts of which I will illustrate and describe onepreferred modification.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the nozzle.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the nozzle.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of an extinguisher equipped with the nozzleshown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of the main casing for the nozzle,with the actuating parts removed.

In Figure 3, I have shown a fire extinguisher having a main casing I, acarrying handle 2, a gauge 3 for indicating the gas pressure within theextinguisher, and a valve actuator 4 for releasing fluid from the casingl. The extinguisher illustrated is of the general type shown in myPatents 1,794,982 and 1,918,930, although the invention is adapted foruse with other types of extinguisher.

From the valve controlled by the handle 4, a flexible tube 5 or hoseextends down as illustrated, so that in extinguishing a fire, anoperator may place the extinguisher on a support or carry it by thehandle 2, and direct the fluid being discharged to various zones.

On the end of the flexible tube I have illustrated a nozzle of preferredtype comprising a casing 6, having a restricted discharge passage 7therein which merges into an enlarged opening 8 at the end of thenozzle.

A boss 9 extends up from the main casing and encloses a cylindricalopening ill (see Fig. 4), Within which a conical plug H is actuated bymeans of a valve handle [2, having an extension l3 which bears againstthe outer end of the plug The plug has an annular recess I4 which seatspacking l5, which prevents extinguishing liquid from seeping back outalong the outer walls of the plug.

The casing is provided with a seat l6, which receives the conical end llof the plug.

A spring l8 presses upwardly on the long end of the handle l2, and thehandle is fulcrumed in a pair of bosses, as indicated at [9.

By pressing down on the long end 12 of the actuating lever, the shortend of the lever i3 pulls back the plug l I by means of a pin 20, whichconnects the arm of the lever with the plug.

The operation of the nozzle is efiective upon a mild pressing down ofthe handle I2 to cause a spray which is dispersed over a wide area.Further pressure on the handle causes the area of the spray to be moreand more restricted until when the plug is substantially removed fromthe zone of fluid discharge, a single unitary stream issues from thenozzle. Upon release of the handle [2 the discharge of fluid is shut ofibecause the valve ll moves against its seat.

Heretofore in extinguishing a fire, the use, for example, of anextinguisher such as is shown in my Patents Nos. 1,794,982 and1,918,930, when the valve 4 is opened up fluid begins to discharge fromthe end of the flexible tube. In putting out a fire, for example, underthe hood of an automobile engine, and when it is necessary to movearound from one side of the car to the other, most of the fluid will bedischarged during the time that the operator is moving around thevehicle.

By the use of my invention, no waste of fire extinguishing fluid occurs.

It has further been effectively demonstrated that a fine dispersement ofthe extinguishing fluid is much more effective for preventing combustionthan a single stream directed at the source of the fire.

This is because the extinguishing fluid volatilizes more rapidly andshuts off the supply of available oxygen from the burning part of thefire.

It will be obvious that there will often be times when it will benecessary to have a fine stream because of the greater distance thatsuch a stream will be projected than a spray, and in such circumstancesa slight pressure against the actuating handle causes the stream todischarge in a unitary manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A nozzle for a fire extinguisher comprising a casing having arestricted discharge passage therethrough, an enlarged opening in thedischarge end of said nozzle, and a conical member having a seat portionin said nozzle and being movable transversely between said restricteddischarge passage and said enlarged opening.

2. A nozzle for a fire extinguisher comprising a casing having arestricted discharge passage therethrough, an enlarged opening in thedischarge end of said nozzle, and a conical member having a seat portionin said nozzle and being movable transversely between said restricteddischarge passage and said enlarged opening, said nozzle having a springactuated control member for moving said plug against the seat portion.

3. A nozzle for a fire extinguisher comprising a casing having arestricted discharge passage therein, an enlarged passage extending fromsaid restricted discharge passage to the discharge opening in thenozzle, and a conical member having a seat in said enlarged passage,said conical member being mounted for movement transverse to saidenlarged passage.

4. A nozzle for a fire extinguisher comprising a casing having arestricted discharge passage therein, an enlarged passage extending fromsaid restricted discharge passage to the discharge opening in thenozzle, and a conical member having a seat in said enlarged passage,said conical member being mounted for movement transverse to saidenlarged passage and said conical member being resiliently urged towardits seat.

ALBERT B. PHISTER.

